Hero cops dumped Oakland for Hayward

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Two Oakland police officers who came to the aid of California Highway Patrol officers involved in a wild shootout won department medals of valor Friday — while wearing Hayward police uniforms.

Officers Megan Sheridan and Matthew Lopez were among the Oakland cops who responded to a robbery at the Walgreens pharmacy at 51st Street and Telegraph Avenue in North Oakland on Jan. 20.

Moments after a CHP officer was shot and wounded, Sheridan and Lopez risked their lives by dragging him to safety. Sheridan fashioned a makeshift tourniquet to the officer’s right leg and placed him in the back of a police cruiser, which Lopez drove to Highland Hospital in Oakland.

Other officers killed one of the two Walgreens robbery suspects, Maurice Evans Shavers Jr., 21, during the shootout. The other suspect, Alphonso Mitchell, 40, was arrested.

Sheridan and Lopez wore Hayward police uniforms as they accepted medals of valor from Batts on Friday at Oakland City Hall. The two officers, who graduated together from the Oakland Police Academy in 2008, escaped being laid off when the city let 80 officers go in July to close a budget gap. But they decided they would be better off looking for other work.

“After they showed us once that they were willing to cut police officers in this city, I don’t doubt that they would do it a second time,” Lopez said. “Any time there’s a problem with the budget, they’re going to look to police. So Hayward was kind enough to offer us a job, take us in as a police family. We just love being police officers.”

Sheridan, who was born and raised in Oakland, said she had decided to transfer to Hayward “because of the security issue and the potential for being laid off.” Asked if she would like to return to the Oakland force, she said, “I feel the best place for me is in Hayward, and I’m going to remain there.”

Hayward Police Chief Ron Ace said, “It was obvious when they both applied that they were exactly what we’re looking for. They exemplify the very best in policing, and we’ll take very good care of them in Hayward. It is certainly Oakland’s loss. I don’t really take a lot of pleasure in that, because Oakland is a fine police department.”

In an interview, Batts said, “My happiest moment about that is these officers got picked up. I’m very glad that those officers landed on their feet, but we still have the majority (of those laid off) still out of work.”